The polydamas swallowtail caterpillars have certainly been busy in the garden eating the Dutchman pipe almost down to sticks, and traveling long distances to find areas to make its chrysalis.
The mature caterpillars can reach 2.1 inches in length before it starts its chrysalis. They remain in the caterpillar stage, four different instars, from 19 to 24 days to reach that desired length.
Depending on where they make their chrysalis it will resemble either a green, or brown leaf, as pictured above. We also have chrysalis in the butterfly house that are either on branches or the sides of the house that are brown in color mimicking that dead leaf.
The polydamas swallowtail butterfly typically emerges from its chrysalis at about 18 days.
As always, check out my page on polydamas swallowtails: https://bit.ly/3MHVXnb.
